Pauley hopes Brewers post moves him closer to Majors

(April 6, 2016) Matt Pauley has spent 10 seasons broadcasting affiliated minor league baseball. For him, the next step to the Big Leagues was major market radio. Mission accomplished. An STAA member, Pauley is joining WTMJ in Milwaukee, WI as the Brewers post-game host.

Pauley has spent the past six years in Colorado Springs, CO, hosting a daily sports talk show and serving as the No. 2 broadcaster for the Brewers Triple-A affiliate. That unique combination of experience was important in Pauley landing the WTMJ job. “There are not a lot of guys out there who are doing Minor League play-by-play and also hosting a daily talk show,” says Pauley. “That shows I know baseball and what it takes to cover a team on a daily basis but also can carry a show.”

The WTMJ opportunity came from a conversation Pauley had early last year with station Program Director Eric Brooks. “I had originally spoken with Eric over a year ago and had stayed somewhat in touch since then,” says Pauley. “He let me know about this position but some time went by and it did not seem to be something that was meant to be. I might have misread the situation as he called me in early March to gauge my interest.”

Pauley believes that getting to a major market is an important step towards his goal of broadcasting Big League baseball. “I think, like most Minor League baseball broadcasters or people working in medium to small markets, I have noticed that big-market jobs are going to people in that market or another major market. It’s a shame that so many talented minor league play-by-play guys are somewhat stuck, but it is the way the business has evolved in recent years. I am very excited about the opportunity to work in Milwaukee and hopefully be there for a long time but I also think potential future employers will view me very differently when I am working for WTMJ compared to where I have been.”

Pauley is a founding member of STAA, meaning he has been a member since STAA started in 2006. “For me, the best part about STAA is being able to call Jon Chelesnik at any moment and get good advice,” he says. “What makes the advice so valuable is it comes from an expert in the industry, but also someone who truly cares for me and wants the best for me. I know I might be in the exact same situation as someone else but the advice from Jon might be different because he knows what is going on in my life and factors that into what he tells me.

“I can always trust that Jon is thinking about both my career and everything else going on in my life and to have people like that is not common and is very valuable.”